History of Chatham, NY (Part 2)From: Columbia County At The End of the Century
Published and edited under the
auspices of the Hudson Gazette
The Record Printing and Publishing Co.
Hudson, New York 1900

The fire extinguishing apparatus of Chatham was insignificant previous to 1858, when Ocean Engine and Hose Company
No. 1 was organized, with Chauncey H. Peak, foreman; Peter Reasoner, secretary. There were at that time only six
members, The company was incorporated the next year and from that time forward was a large and effective organization,
having more than fifty members. A Button & Blake engine was purchased in 1859, with adequate hose and other
equipment. The fire apparatus has always been kept in the village public building, which was purchased in the first
year of the municipal incorporation at a cost $5,500. It is a three story brick structure, centrally located and
is surmounted with a tower in which are a bell and a clock. The building contains apartments for public meetings,
a firemen's hall, police court, etc.

During many past years the village was without adequate and satisfactory water supply for both domestic uses and
for extinguishing fires. To supply this need the Chatham Waterworks Company was organized in April, 1886, with
a capital of $100,000. H. W. McClellan was chosen president of the company; George E. Drumm, vice president; Philo
B. Blinn, sr., treasurer; Philo B. Blinn, jr., secretary; a later president of the company was John D. Mickle,
who still holds the office. H. W. Fables succeeded to the vice presidency, who was followed by Austin E. Cady;
Daniel S. Lovejoy was then chosen and now holds the office, The present secretary and treasurer is George McClellan.
An ample supply of excellent water is taken from twenty large driven wells and a pure spring, the supply being
pumped by the Holly system. About eight miles of pipe are laid and fifty hydrants in use. When this system was
completed the steam fire engine which had been purchased by the village to displace the old hand engine, was sold,
only hose carts being needed.

Electric lighting was introduced in the village in 1886-90, by private enterprise. The lighting plant is now owned
and operated by the General Electrical Company of Schenectady.

Besides Chatham village there are in this town eight other points of settlement where postoffices are maintained
and in most of which there are or have been business interests of some kind. Of these what is known as Old Chatham
dates farthest back into the past. Here or in the vicinity located in early years Samuel Wilbor, before mentioned,
and Harry Van Valkenhurgh, Almon Russell, Roderick Bebee, Thomas Hoag, Allen Davis, Volney Burgess, Rensselaer
Hoag, Simeon S. Mickle, John S. Lay, Benjamin Beckwith, Hosea Hudson, Pliny Hudson, Levi M. Butts, Wigton Lester,
R. Tabor, and others who contributed their full share to the improvement of that section of the town. The village
is situated a little northeast of the center of the town, and was in early years a place of a good deal of business
importance, although the water power supplied here is limited. It is a station on the C. & L. V. Railroad,
but its business interests have greatly declined with the more rapid growth of Chatham village. One of the first
stores opened here was that called the Federal store, which was conducted on the co operative plan; beginning in
1787, this store had a large trade for many years. Stephen Wilbor had another early store in a building that remained
the property of members of that family a great many years. Some time after 1810 Thomas Hoag kept a store in a part
of the building in which he had also a tavern. Other later merchants were A. Campbell, David Carshorc, Harvey Brown,
Benjamin Rider, Seth Daley, C. B. Hudson, and perhaps a few others. The Wait Brothers are at present conducting
a hardware store in which they have done business nearly forty years, and a second store is kept by J. W. Redmond,
A pioneer grist mill was built here by Stephen Wilbor; it was subsequently owned and operated by Jedediah Brockway,
who was followed by others, and was burned in 1875.

An early tavern was opened on the site of the later Locust Tree House by Thomas Hoag, which received large patronage
from the many travelers over the turnpike on which it was situated. Several other public houses were opened at
different dates, and one hotel is conducted at the present time. The postoffice here was removed from Malden Bridge,
but the date is not accessible. Among the physicians who practiced here prior to recent years were Drs. Horace
Root, who died in Chatham in 1865, and N. M. Ransom.

The hamlet of Malden Bridge, where were built and operated the Peaslee paper mills before noticed, is situated
in the central northern part of the town. Early settlers in this immediate vicinity were James Van Valkenburgh,
Josephus Johnson, Jeremiah Van Hoesen, Daniel Haywood, Isaac Van Ness, Amos Irish, John W. and Levi Pitts, Ransom
Page, Samuel Crandell, Jason Lister, J. Pratt, and others, On what was known in recent years as the Waterman Lippitt
place Roswell Hoidridge conducted a tavern in early years, in which the first postoffice was established about
1810; the office was subsequently removed to Old Chatham, as before stated, but a new office with the name Malden
Bridge, as at present, was opened at a later date Leniah Walker kept another pioneer tavern in a building which
was continued as a public house many years. A tavern is still kept in the place, and two stores. Merchants of the
past were George Cornell, L. Van Valkenburgh, Smith & Vedder, and a few others.

The hamlet of Chatham Center is situated a little west of the center of the town, with a station on the Boston
and Albany Railroad. Its situation is favorable for business and in past years it was a place of importance in
this respect. Some of the early settlers in this immediate vicinity were Peter Van Aistyne, John Van Slyck, Derrick
Sluyter, Gershom Reed, Gaylord Hawkins, Rowland Gifford, Robert Van Alen, Amos Sutherland, Israel Phelps, James
Brebner, Peter Pulver, James Van Valkenburgh, Isaac Mills, and Seth Rose.

The first store in this place was opened by Col. Peter Van Alstyne, near the site of the Van Alstyne residence.
On the opposite side of the stream James Brebner had a rival store; both of these men were also mill owners and
competition between them was sometimes quite exciting. A store is now kept by Andrew Van Alstyne, who is also postmaster.
Other early merchants were Timothy Oakley and J. J. Van Valkenburgh; the latter built the store in 1816 that continued
long in use and there continued in business until 1835. Gaylord Hawkins opened the first tavern, and public houses
have since been kept by numerous landlords. The postoffice was established about 1830, with John Rogers postmaster;
among others who have since held the office, beside the present official, were James Sutherland, R. Sleight, W.
L. Van Alstyne, R. H. Vedder, Jacob V. Schermerhorn, Abram Wiederwax, and others. The place has always had the
usual small mechanic shops.

North Chatham is situated in the northeast corner of the town, on a principal east and west thoroughfare, and in
the old days of stage travel, had considerable business interests. Among the early settlers here was Andrew Wiederwax,
who opened the first tavern in the lower part of the village, which he conducted until 1825, and was succeeded
by various other landlords. Caleb Hill opened another tavern near the center of the place. For some years there
was no hotel in the village, but one is now in existence. The first store was kept by Jacob A. Ten Eyck as early
as 1800, on the site occupied in later years by H. Wiederwax & Son; the latter firm continued in trade about
forty years, and Aaron Traver was a merchant about twenty years. Caleb Hill, Jacob Wilson, and Pardee Carshore
also kept stores. The postoffice was originally kept in Caleb Hill's tavern, but when it was established is not
now known. A hotel has been kept here in recent years by the late Homer Kingman, which is now occupied by his widow.
A. H. Harder has carried on merchandising in late years, and stores are now kept by Aaron Traver and Dudley Walker.

Dr. Richard S. Peck was in medical practice here from early settlement until 1827, and was followed by Drs. Joseph
Chadwick, O. J. Peck, F. B. Sutliff, John H. Hoysradt, and others.

In the vicinity of the site of East Chatham, a small village in the extreme eastern part of the town and a station
on the Boston and Albany Railroad, settled in very early years Garrett M. Rowe, Joshua Gifford, Noadiah Gillet,
M. Vanderpoel, and others. The first store was opened here by Peter Crandell, and later merchants were Baldwin
Brothers, Jesse D. Flint, Obediab Palmer, who was in trade nearly forty years, and others. The post office was
established about 1840, with J. C. Chapman, postmaster. One of the first to open a public house was Samuel Foot,
whose house was on the site of the later Palmer's store. In comparatively recent times there were half a dozen
stores of different kinds here; but the volume of trade has fallen off and at the present time there are only two
stores, kept by Palmer & Johnson and Charles Clark, a hotel, and a few shops. Jacob Fidler had a store and
was postmaster; he died recently.

A short distance south of East Chatham is the hamlet of New Concord. Here and in the immediate vicinity settled
the Palmer, Bebee, Eaton, Pratt, Savage, Lovejoy, Doty, Cady, and other families, the members of which have in
past years done a great deal for the advancement of this part of the county. Hosea Bebee was one of the early merchants
in the lower part of the hamlet, from which he subsequently removed to a more central location. Anson Pratt was
another early merchant, and David and Daniel B. Lovejoy, Cady & Vanderburgh, and Charles Lovejoy, were in trade
in later years. Public houses were kept in past years by James Brebner, Benjamin Lovejoy, B. Van Valkenburgh, and
others. Here and in this vicinity practiced in early years Dr. Joseph Brewster, Dr. Augustine Haven, and Dr. Eleazer
Root. The business interests of the place are now confined to a small store, a tavern, and a postoffice.

Rayville is a small settlement in the northeast part of the town, where considerable business was done in long
ago years. The Reynolds and Finch families settled here early, as also did Obediah Wilbor, Noah Ashley, the Gardner
and Brown families. About the beginning of the century Francis Ray settled here and became a prominent citizen,
the settlement taking his name, His son, David Ray, was also a leading citizen during his long life. Horatio Gates
Spafford, afterwards the noted author, kept one of the earliest stores here, in the first decade of the century.
David Ray began business in 1827 and continued more than half a century. There were many mechanic shops here in
early times. The postoffice was formerly known as Green Brook. There are at the present time no business interests
here.

Three miles northwest from Rayville is what is known as Rider's Mills settlement. Here were established about the
beginning of the century, Mosher's Mills, which are mentioned in the Gazetteer of 1813, where the place is noticed
as an active business settlement. The mill property subsequently passed to Jonathan Rider, but was later destroyed
and there is now no business interest here.

The present Reformed Church of New Concord had its foundation in a religious body called the "Church of Christ
of New Concord," of Congregational, doctrine, the date of whose organization cannot be learned, but probably
soon after settlement began. The early records of the society have been lost, and only the roll of the original
members is available. This roll embraces the names of Deacon Seth Jenney, Deacon Joseph Smith, Deacon Stephen Palmer,
David Barnes, William Benjamin, Justus Betts, Joseph Brewster, Jeremiah Burgess, Stephen Churchill, John Davis,
Stephen Davis, Samuel Doty, Simeon Doty, Abel Eaton, Thomas Hulbert, Edward Palmer, Judson Parks and Alfred Parsons.
Services were held in a log meeting house, which later, before 1800, was superseded by a frame structure. The Rev.
John Waters was at one time pastor. The Presbyterian form of government was adopted in 1815, and Rev. Joel T. Benedict
ministered to the people until 1827, and was succeeded by Rev. M. Raymond. Again in 1835 the society assumed Congregational
government, and had as pastors Revs. John T. Avery, Nathaniel Pine, Abel Crandell, Theodore S. Brown, and others.

In 1856 the name of the church organization was changed to the "Reformed (Dutch)," and the following
consistory was elected: Elders, Hezekiah H. Lovejoy, Joseph D. Clark, Charles W. Lovejoy; deacons, Orlando B. Allen,
Andrew M. Clark, and William Doty. The meetinghouse was moved to its present location soon after and thoroughly
repaired, and in 1900 underwent remodeling and fitting. The Rev. Henry E. Decker became the first pastor under
the reorganization, remaining until 1860; he was followed by Rev. Josiah Jansen, 1861 to 1864; Rev. David A. Jones,
1861-67; Rev. J. H. Bcvier, 1867-73, since which have been as supplies Rev. H. R. Harris, C. S. Mead, A. W. Ashley
and others; Rev. A. B. Woolsey came a little more than six years ago and served as a supply until the summer of
1900, when he was succeeded by Rev. Mark A. Denman.

For many years prior to 1900 the life of the church greatly languished, but in the summer of that year, soon after
the opening of the ministry of Rev. Mark A. Denman, there was a noteworthy revival of all the interests of the
church. The edifice was entirely renovated and greatly improved at a cost of eight hundred dollars. On October
14th the renewed house of worship was formally reopened, at which time Rev. E. A. Collier, D. D., and Rev. C. V.
W. Bedford made addresses. About the same time was organized a "Woman's Auxiliary Missionary Society"
of some twenty five members, and the church entered upon a new era of prosperity.

The Methodist denomination had its workers in this field soon after 1800. Services were held first in barns, and
the first class, it is said, was composed of Mrs. James Van Valkenburgh, Cynthia Lester and another woman whose
name cannot be recalled. The labors of itinerants was kept up with some success, and a few years later "Fathers"
Chadwick and Jewett, Nathaniel Brockway, Philip Frisbie, Lawrence Van Valkenburgh, and Mrs. Samuel Wilbor were
members of the class, and still later were added Philip Hulbert, H. N. Wheeler, Horace Root, Loren M. Davis, Jedediab
Brockway, William Mickle and Mrs. Hosea Hudson. In 1812, Timothy Oakley, Ezra Chadwick, Abijah Stever and John
Stearns, jr., as trustees for the Methodist society, erected a meeting house in Chatham. This structure was rebuilt
in 1866, which at that time, with the parsonage, was valued at $8,000. In 1886 it was again practically rebuilt,
a new front with a tower being the chief improvements.

The M. E. church at Malden Bridge has always been connected with the Chatham church and served by its pastors.
It was legally organized in 1834, with James B. Van Valkenburgh, Josephus Johnson, Seth Daley, Levi Pius and Waterman
Lippitt as trustees. A chapel was built in 1835, which was thoroughly reconstructed in 1870.

The Reformed Church of Chatham Village. - It was in the spring of 1842, that Rev. Richard Sluyter, of Claverack,
addressed a communication to the classis of Rensselaer at their spring session, on the subject of establishing
a missionary station at Chatham Four Corners. After a full discussion of the matter the classis appointed a committee,
of which Mr. Sluyter was chairman, to visit the ground, and report concerning the feasibility of the plan. Having
examined into the probabilities of success, the committee reported favorably, and the classis resolved to procure
a preacher to occupy the grounds. Mr. E. S. Porter (now Dr. Porter, of Brooklyn), having been recently licensed,
was prevailed upon to accept the appointment.

He accordingly came to Chatham Four Corners, and commenced preaching there on the 1st of September, 1842. A district
school house was used for the purpose. On the 27th of October, 1842, Mr. Porter was ordained as an evangelist,
and continued his labors, although no church was instituted. But it pleased God that his cause should be established
there, and a small number of believers were found willing to come forward and be united into a distinct flock.

Accordingly, on the 22d of January, 1843, Rev. John C. Van Dervoort, of Mellenville, as one of the committee of
classis appointed for the purpose, came and organized a church by the appointment and ordination of Martin Mesick
and Peter Gardenier, elders; and John S. Wilkinson, deacon; and the church was organized under the style and title
of the "First Reformed Protestant Dutch Church of Chatham." A subscription for building a church, or
house for divine worship, was commenced September, 1842, and a contract for building the same was formed on the
12th of March, 1843. In due time the edifice was completed, and on Saturday, the 7th of October, 1843, it was dedicated
to the service of the Triune God. The Rev. Mr. Crandell, pastor of the Congregational church at Concord, offered
the invocation. Rev. Theodore Wyckoff, of the Second Dutch church of Ghent, read the eighty fourth psalm, Rev.
Dr. Gasman, of Hudson, preached the sermon, and Rev. E. L. Porter offered the dedicatory prayer.

The Rev. E. S. Porter, having been presented with a call from the church, and having accepted the same, was installed
in the pastoral office on Tuesday the 17th day of October, 1843.

During the last twenty five years the original edifice has been renovated and improved at least twice. During the
ministry of the Rev. Jas. Campbell the auditorium was improved at a cost of about $1000. Later, in the time of
the ministry of the Rev. T. S. Brown, again was the church repaired. During the years of 1897-8, the old parsonage
property, contiguous to the Methodist church, was disposed of by sale and a new and commodious manse erected farther
down Kinderhook street. At the date of this sketch (1900) the original church edifice, erected in 1843, and improved
as above noted, is still in service, but is soon to be replaced by a more modern structure suited to the needs
of new environment and enlarged demands.

The M. E. Church at Malden Bridge has always been connected with the Chatham church and served by its pastors.
It was legally organized in 1834, with James B. Van Valkenburgh, Josephus Johnson, Seth Daley, Levi Pitts and Waterman
Lippitt as trustees. A chapel was built in 1835, which was thoroughly reconstructed in 1870.

The North Chatham Methodist Episcopal Church dates its birth from the year 1832, when Rev. Arnold Schofield, presiding
elder, inaugurated measures for building a meeting house, which resulted in the appointment of George L. Rowe,
John I. Budd and Timothy Nichols as a committee to carry out the plan. A modest structure, costing about $1,600,
was the result of their efforts, built in 1834, and dedicated in January, 1835, by Rev. Buel Goodsell. This was
used until the present imposing edifice was ready for occupancy, which is thought to be one of the most attractive
in the county. Among the first members of this church were John and John I. Budd, Jesse Stever, John Q. Huyck,
George L. Rowe, Timothy Nichols, Heber Palmer, Elijah Budd and their wives. The church is prospering.

In 1849 was incorporated the Chatham Center Methodist Episcopal Church, with Peter B. Van Slyck, Ebenezer Jennison,
Daniel Harris, Henry Becker and George C. Clyde its board of trustees. A house of worship was erected the same
year the society was incorporated, which was improved in 1875; a neat parsonage belongs to the church. It was for
a long time served in connection with other appointments of the circuit.

The Methodist Episcopal Church of Chatham village in its initial organization was called the "White Mills"
Church, and occupied a small meeting house a short distance west of the "White Mills." The first trustees
of the society, chosen June 18, 1835, were George Humphrey, Martin Harder, Stephen Shipman, Cornelius Shufelt,
Mark K. Crandell, Jehoiakim H, Blass, James Van Valkenburgh, Theodore Pomeroy, and David Crego. Rev. Jesse Carley
was the first minister. About 1849 the society removed its temporal interests to Chatham village, where a frame
meeting house was erected for its use. This was destroyed by fire in 1853, and the next summer, under the supervision
of Benjamin Rogers, Henry Porter and Peter C. Tompkins, as a building committee, the present edifice was erected.
This was demolished and the present brick structure erected in 1887. The membership is three hundred and forty,
and the Rev. David McCarthy, D.D., is pastor of the station.

The East Chatham Methodist Episcopal Church is the outgrowth of services held at New Concord about 1810. In 1815
a legal society was formed with Albert Cady, Peter C. Tompkins, Harrison Cady, Ferdinand Mesick and Talcott G.
Starks as trustees. A small meeting house was built there, which, in 1856, was removed to East Chatham and dedicated
November 13 of that year. The building has since been much improved. This society is now a charge, but prospering
in membership and means. A pleasant parsonage is located at East Chatham. The church is served in connection with
the society at Red Rock in the town of Canaan.

At East Chatham there was organized a Baptist church in 1813, which is still active. It has a good church building
and a good membership. The records of the organization are not obtainable.

At North Chatham a Baptist society existed at one time, which built a meeting house. Services were discontinued
many years ago, and the church building was used by the Congregationalists.

Before the close of the Revolution a Friends' Meeting was established at Rayville. The Finch, Reynolds, Wilbor,
Mosher, Coffin, Swain, Barnard, Ray, Gardner, Smith and Cornell families constituted a greater portion of the Meeting.
About 1800 Palmer Holmes built a meetinghouse, in which semi weekly meetings were held. The society is small.

St. James Roman Catholic church at Chatham village originated in 1855, in missionary work carried on by the church
at Hudson. In 1856 a church edifice was erected and under the title of St. Patrick's Roman Catholic Church, Rev.
James S. O'Sullivan, the parish was organized. The structure was enlarged in 1868 under the direction of Rev. J.
J. Moriarty. In 1873 an out mission was established at Copake, and a house of worship erected. In 1897 the old
church building was demolished and the name of the s6ciety changed to St. James. Rev. James L. Walsh, the present
priest, came to Chatham from the Church of the Immaculate Conception at New Lebanon on January 1, 1892, and has
been energetic and persevering in building up the parish. The new church edifice of St. James was begun May 25,
1897, and will cost $300,000, built of brown stone; only the basement is yet completed. After the old church was
demolished services were held for a year in the opera house, and when the basement of the new edifice was completed,
it was occupied. The congregation comprises one hundred families, and is in a thriving condition.

St. Joseph's Roman Catholic church at Malden Bridge was incorporated October 10, 1871. It is a mission of St. John
the Baptist church at Talatie, which see for further details.

A Lutheran church was organized in Chatham in 1874, and during a large part of the succeeding period down to the
present time has been connected with the church of the same denomination in Ghent. A chapel was erected soon after
the organization of the society, in which services were held until 1898, when the present edifice was erected.
The first pastor was the Rev. J. G. Griffith, who was succeeded by the Rev. Chester Traver. Since his pastorate
Rev. J. F. Hartman, Rev. J. N. Morris, Rev. M. G. L. Rietz, and Rev. J. W. Lake have served the congregation.

Chatham Village Rural Cemetery is located within the village limits, on an elevation overlooking the surrounding
country, and is tastefully laid out with roads and walks and planted with trees and shrubbery. It is controlled
by an association organized October 21, 1856. The first trustees were Elijah M. Thomas, Thomas F. Meick, Ebenezer
Backus, Peter Reasoner, Horatio N. Wright, Edward G. Robinson, James F. Shufelt, John D. Shufelt, and Swats D.
Tompkins.

Chatham Union Cemetery, situated about half way between Chatham and Malden Bridge, contains six acres of land,
and is controlled by an association organized December 20, 1858, with the following trustees: P. F. Cady, George
Huested, Samuel Wilbor, Waterman Lippitt, Sherman Tan Ness, and Jonathan B. Rider, jr. This cemetery has well improved
features and is carefully maintained.

Chatham Center Cemetery is located near the hamlet of that name, and is under the management of an association
which was organized January 8, 1859. The first trustees were Jacob Tobias, Daniel Harris, Barton Huested, jr.,
Elibu Clark, Jesse Crandeil, and William Van Alstyne. It occupies four acres of ground, which has been finely improved
and beautified.

The North Chatham Cemetery, the oldest one in the town controlled by an organized association, is situated near
the village and contains two acres, attractively improved. The association which controls it was organized on March
6, 1852; the first trustees were Henry Wiederwax, Henry Hiel, Cornelius Coon, George L. Rowe, O. J. Peck, Peter
Packman, John Wiley, Henry N. Smith, John Schermerhorn.

The New Concord Cemetery is an improvement of an old burying ground, and contains about two acres. The location
on a high plot of ground north of the hamlet is pleasant and well adapted for the purpose. It is under the management
of an association organized on October 25, 1866, with C. L. Ford, H. H. Lovejoy, Ira Smith, H. S. Pratt, J. D.
Clark, and G. B. Allen, trustees.

One of the oldest burial plots in the town is at White Mills adjoining the Methodist meeting house; and there is
another at Rayville, well kept, near the Friend's meeting house.

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